Last day of school now June 10

The Thomasville City Schools 2013-14 calendar is starting to resemble a paper rainbow.

With all the weather cancellations since the beginning of 2014, TCS administrators have been scrambling to adjust and readjust the school calendar to ensure students and teachers reach designated state requirements to complete the year.

These changes have created a modified calendar with more colors than a prism in sunlight.

Smith on April 1 presented the TCS Board of Education with yet another rendition of this year's calendar that factors in days lost to inclement weather last month. While an ice day on March 7 was forgiven for students, they were not so lucky on the one missed 11 days later.

Summer vacation now is another day shorter, as the Board of Education approved a calendar revision that slates June 10 as the last day of school for students. Graduation remains on schedule for June 7.

“It was approved hopefully for the last time,” TCS board member Crystal Hodges said.

Smith in March presented an initial redraft of the calendar to account for a mass number of missed days in late January and early February. Students missed five days between Jan. 29 and Feb. 14. Three days missed in February were absorbed into the calendar and will not have to be made up by students, who did have to make up Jan. 30 on March 31. June 11 and 12 originally were optional teacher work days but now are required work days.

According to state law, students are required to receive 1,025 hours of instruction during the course of a school year. Due to the rough winter, the last day of school got pushed back from June 6 to June 10. March 7 will not have to be made up because students are on pace to reach state requirement, Smith said.

June 16 for teachers now becomes a required work day with June 19 an optional teacher work day to make up for the last ice storm.

Teacher contracts from the state require them to work 215 days.

TCS Superintendent Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin had discussed Saturday school or extending a few days to meet these requirements for both teachers and students.

Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 888-3578, or duke@tvilletimes.com.